News / Education
Lindsay Lohan Prescription Drug Abuse
Lindsay Lohan’s father, Michael Lohan, stated in a CBS interview today that he is in support of the ankle bracelet and random drug testing, court ordered for his daughter, stating that these will help put some constraints on her. He made it clear that he felt that these constraints alone were not enough to help his daughter with her drug abuse problem and that jail time would simply not work. He felt that a non-traditional customized rehab could be the answer.
Mr. Lohan feels that his daughter’s primary addiction is to prescription drugs. Her prescription drug abuse was of the most concern to her father and he stated that Lindsay will never be herself until she is off the drugs. “ Are the prescriptions justified?” he asked. While mentioning other celebrities who have battled with prescription drugs, Mr. Lohan pointed out that globally the problem with prescription drugs has become huge. He mentioned that there are 25,000 kids to 50,000 kids dying from these drugs. Random drug testing might not even be any kind of deterrent to Lindsay’s alleged prescription drug abuse because it is still unclear whether the random testing will encompass prescription drugs.
In other interviews Mr. Lohan is quoted, “Time is running out for Lindsay. We need to save her.” “We need to save Lindsay now.”
Mr. Lohan’s concerns are not unfounded. For the first time, in several states, the number one cause of accidental death is prescription medication and it is the number two cause in the nation. The problem is not getting better. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) more than six million people over the age of 12 will begin abusing prescription drugs. The fastest growing demographic of prescription drug abuse is young people like Lindsay, aged 15 to 24.
Last year, Joseph A. Califano Jr., the
"Aggressive marketing of controlled drugs to physicians . . . is designed to increase profits with little regard for abuse potential, Our nation is in the throes of an epidemic of controlled prescription drug abuse and addiction."
More than 15 million Americans abuse controlled substances—double the amount from a decade ago, according to a report issued by CASA. This represents a clear problem for America because there is virtually no increase in drug treatment available.
Mary Rieser, Director of Narconon stated, “I agree with Lindsay’s father. Effective treatment is the real hope for Lindsay. Sometimes addicts think treatment won’t work, especially if they have failed at it before. But it can work. When I see these stories about Lindsay I wish there were a way I could tell her that she really doesn’t have to continue suffering. I can tell she looks tired. Someone needs to let her know that she really can be sober and happy.”
Narconon of Georgia provides drug treatment and education. Narconon Drug Rehab of Georgia is a non-traditional drug abuse treatment program.
